Angels of Regeneration
by Concettttttttttttttttttttttttt
Summary: Sequil to Eight Angels. CHANGED NAME! So my self-inserted prequil added up to this! The Journey of Regeneration with a few of my own characters added. Read the prequil before reading this or you will be very confused. Rated T for some suggestive theme's.


**Skip this thing if you don't want to see my stupid little ideas... the story starts when the bold lettering ends.**

**I've seen like five billion other stories have the authors talking to characters before/after the chapters so... I thought, "hey, why not!?" I, unlike others, will have all nine of them, so there's going to be a lot of quiet people who don't say much. Please welcome: Lloyd, Genis, Raine, Colette, Kratos, Presea, Regal, Sheena, and Zelos.**

**_Zelos_: Why am I last?  
****_Concett_: Umm... I dunno... because you are...?  
****_Zelos_: If I sleep with the author will I get promoted?  
****_Concett_: EW! HELL NO!!!!!  
****_Sheena_: You IDIOT!!!  
****_Zelos_: Sheena, stop hitting me!  
****_Genis_: I think she was perfectly justified in hitting you.  
****_Zelos_: You know, brat, I can use magic, too. Maybe one of these days I'll take you up on your offer to burn people like toast... starting with you! FIREBALL!  
****_Genis_: FORCE FEILD! Haha, nice try, moron.  
****_Regal_: Can we please stop the arguments?  
****_Presea_: Yes, I am getting a headache.  
****_Zelos_: Where's my buddy, Lloyd? Shouldn't he be here, too?  
****_Lloyd_: What? Oh, yeah, I'm here. So, the beginning of the Journey of Regeneration. Are you going to make the entire thing one story of split it up?  
****_Concett_: I'm not really sure... It's going to be a very long story so it's very possible.  
****_Colette_: I think that you should split it up into a bunch of mini-stories to add suspense. The journey was really suspensful.  
****_Concett_: I'm sure it was. Now, can I end this conversation? We might be able to have a conversation afterwards...  
****_Colette_: YAY!**

**I do not own anything Tales of Symphonia related at all. That all belongs to Namco Tales Studios Ltd.**

* * *

"Lloyd Irving, wake up! Lloyd!"

Lloyd Irving was being punished already, having to hold buckets of water at the back of the classroom. His wake-up call was, sadly enough, a chalk brush to the face.

"...How do you manage to sleep standing?" This was his teacher, Professor Raine Sage.

"...Oh. Professor Raine. Eh... is class over?"

Lloyd obviously wasn't the brightest bulb in the chandelier...

Professor Raine passed the question off to her star student and younger brother, Genis Sage, who answered it correctly. The professor then added a little bit more onto the end of his answer. Lloyd-being the genius he is-said something that had been covered in an earlier class and claimed he "forgot."

"Today is the day or prophecy. It is a very important day, which the Chosen of Mana will receive an oracle from the Goddess Martel. Now, Chosen One... Colette. Tell us about the journey of world regeneration."

Colette answered the question correctly and, once again, Raine added some more onto her answer. Colette looked back towards her best friend, Lloyd, as she sat down.

"The Chosen's journey has two purposes," Raine explained. "To revive mana as well as defeat the Desians."

As Raine was about to ask the next question, a bright light was seen coming from the Martel Temple.

"Settle down," Raine said to the classroom who, honestly, wasn't making very much of a ruckus. "It would seen that the time for the oracle has come. I will go and check on the chapel. Everyone, stay here and study on your own. Understood?"

Colette then volunteered to join the professor; who turned her down, claiming there would be a priest or somebody to come get her. Colette politely agreed and sat back down.

Lloyd, the bright bulb he is, decided to leave the classroom anyways to check out the temple. Genis tried to stop him but failed and he ended up inviting Colette to join them. Lloyd quoted a Dwarven Vow in an attempt to calm Genis but Genis just got frustrated by the fact the Lloyd only ever liked the Dwarven Vows when they benefited him.

On their way to the temple they learned from Colette's dad (FRANK) that the Desians had passed through and were on their merry way to the temple. This would break the treaty that forced them not to enter the village as long as the Iselians didn't go near the ranch.

As they were trying to leave the village they encountered monsters which they took down as quickly as possible.

They arrived at the temple to see a pillar or light streaming from the top. Colette couldn't help but point out the brightness of it... They then heard the sounds of battle and a priest made his injured way slowly down the step to where they stood and collapsed at the bottom. Before he died he explained the Desians broke the treaty and were attacking. Then he faded off...

Colette tried to tell Lloyd and Genis to stay behind but Lloyd denied her and went with her anyways.

When they got to the top a Desian named Botta and some of his minions threatened the Chosen and they began battle.

While their battle was commencing, another group of Desians came and their leader began arguing and fighting with Botta. As the battle was drawing to a close, the new-coming Desian called back his forces in retreat.

When Lloyd, Genis, and Colette finished their battle they were threatened again by an ogre-like beast man who began fighting them. When the battle became too much for them a mysterious swordsman clad in purple arrived and starting owning the ogre-thing. (!!!)

The ogre-thing fell, and as he did, Botta stopped and hinted that he knew the purple clad man, and ordered that his Desian party retread as well.

The purple-man introduced himself as Kratos. He said he was a mercenary and took the job of protecting Colette. He told Lloyd to go home, sounding a little bit P.O.-ed, but Colette stopped him, saying that she needed Lloyd to be there.

Upon entering the temple they discovered some sort of magical barrier blocking the warp pad that led to the altar. They would have to find something to take down the barrier with.

Down another hallway and down the stairs they discovered a puzzle where they had to kill something, push a block into the correct hole, and use that as a pathway. When the puzzle was complete they found the Sorcerers Ring and decided to take it.

They used the Sorcerer's Ring on the barrier that was earlier in their way and made their way to the top floor. When there, they found Colette's Cruxis Crystal atop the altar. Genis pointed out a bright light from the ceiling and an angel came down.

"Wh... What is that," Lloyd asked, dumbfounded.

"An angel, I would assume," Kratos answered.

"So is that Colette's real father," Genis asked.

Colette just walked up the altar... and the angel.

"I am Remiel. I am an angel of judgement. I am here to guide Colette, daughter of the mana lineage, on her journey to heaven as the seventh chosen."

Remiel brought Colette's Cruxis Crystal up toward him.

"The time has come to awaken the Goddess Martel, who sleeps at the center of the world."

"Awaken the Goddess Martel..." Genis began. "It's just like the legend Raine told us about."

Remiel moved the Cruxis Crystal down to the base of Colette's throat where it implanted itself.

"From this moment, Colette becomes the Chosen of Regeneration. We of Cruxis bless this event and hereby bestow the Tower of Salvation upon Sylvarant."

As he said these words a gigantic tower appeared in the distance.

"So that's the Tower of Salvation," Lloyd pointed out.

"Now the world will be saved," Genis exclaimed.

Remiel ordered Colette to unlock the seals and make her way to the Tower of Salvation, to which she accepted.

"Very good. We of Cruxis shall grant you the power of the angels with each seal you unlock. Once you are reborn as an angel, this eroded world shall be regenerated."

"Thank you. I swear on my life I will regenerate the world."

"First, head south to the Seal of Fire. Offer your prayers in that distant land."

"Yes, Lord Remiel... Oh, wait! Please wait! I have a question I wish to ask of you. Are you really my fa--"

"First, head to the Seal of Fire. Understood? My beloved daughter, Colette."

"F...father!... So you really are my true father."

"We shall meet again at the next seal... my daughter."

With that, Remiel disappeared.

Kratos took Colette and went ahead of Lloyd and Genis. The two boys met up with Professor Raine at the main area of the temple. She unhesitatingly kicked their asses for leaving the classroom without her permission. Genis got spanked and Lloyd got kicked in the face.

As they left they heard a messed up laugh which Genis just said to ignore.

##################################################################

Lloyd and Genis walked into Colette's house to see the mayor discussing with Colette, her family, and Kratos, the protection of Colette. He declared that her protectors would be Kratos and Raine. Colette was the first to notice Lloyd and Genis' arrival, and Phaidra (Colette's grandma, I don't think I've said that yet) gave them a small gift.

The two boys started saying that they wanted to come with Colette on her journey, but were quickly shut down by Kratos who said that they would only "get in the way."

"The battles at the chapel were nothing compared to the journey that awaits us. _Children _need to stay home."

The mayor (being the ass he is) agreed with Kratos and told both Lloyd and Genis to go home (for like the billionth time. It's not like they're listening anyways)

Colette followed them out and apologized on behalf of the people inside.

Genis gave Colette a batch of cookies for a birthday present and Lloyd had apparently forgotten about her birthday and hadn't finished her present yet. Lloyd promised to get it to her as soon as possible and she promised in return to go to Lloyd's house and tell him when they would be leaving the next day.

##################################################################

Lloyd and Genis were heading through the Iselia Forest. Lloyd's home was in there and Genis... well, Genis said he had another friend out there so he came with.

Genis' destination turned out to be the Human Ranch. Since there were Desians near the village in the temple that would break the treaty so it would be okay for him to go in. That was their logic and they stuck to it. Lloyd decided to go with Genis so he wasn't alone in there.

The Desians that were patrolling went for their break and Genis' friend came out. It was an old woman named Marble. They discussed the oracle and the beginning of the Journey of Regeneration.

Lloyd then took note of the Exsphere on Marble's hand and the fact that it didn't have a Key Crest. He explained that it can make you sick if you don't have a Key Crest the, his father being a dwarf, he promised that he would get one for her.

That's when the Desians came back from their coffee break and got mad at Marble. She was taken to the back and whipped. Lloyd and Genis made a plan to hit the Desians that were whipping her with fireballs then Lloyd would jump in front of the ranch as a distraction while Genis slowly slipped past. That would have worked, had Genis not fallen. Lloyd had to fight a few Desians so they wouldn't get Genis while he was down. He thought that he remained unseen, but they apparently have surveillance cameras at Human Ranches. **(Me: Who woulda thunk it?) **

##################################################################

Lloyd got home and said hi to his mother, or more correctly, his mothers grave. He walked into his house and began talking to his dad about the Exsphere that he had promised Marble. Dirk (Lloyd's dad) was angered by the fact that Lloyd had gone to the Human Ranch. He explained that Lloyd's Exsphere was special in two ways; it was different and it was special to his mother.

"Don't get involved with the Desians," Dirk said, slightly angered. "Your mother protected you and that Exsphere with her life. Don't go throwing either away."

"...So will you make me the Key Crest," Lloyd asked.

"Lloyd! Have you been listening at all?"

"Yeah, I heard you! But you can't expect me not to do anything now that I know!"

WHOMP!

"Ugh!... You don't have to hit me!"

Lloyd ran out of the house, very emotionally, and found Colette, Kratos, Raine, and Genis. They had, apparently, heard all of what just happened. Genis said it was his fault but Lloyd reassured him, saying it was all okay.

Before going to talk to Colette, Lloyd spoke with everybody else. Genis seemed fixed on the Desians being half-elves, Raine talked about Lloyd finished Colette's present, and Kratos discussed Lloyd's mother and father.

Everybody went inside while Lloyd and Colette spoke on the terrace outside of Lloyd's bedroom. They talked about Lloyd's present and how he felt bad for not getting it done it time. They also talked about the Desians and how much Lloyd hated them for killing his mother. Finally Colette told Lloyd to meet her at the village around noon the next day. Genis and Raine came up to tell them it was time to leave. They all went inside and saw Dirk standing in front of a window looking out towards Lloyd's mother's grave. He seemed to be... laughing a little bit.

"What is it," Colette asked.

"Hold on a minute," Dirk instructed. "Get Lloyd, and be quiet about it. Don't make too much sound now."

Colette obeyed and brought Lloyd down as quietly as possible. When they came back down Raine was at the window giggling a little bit, too.

"What's so funny," Lloyd asked.

"Some things never change," Raine said. They all slowly walked out of the house and stood beside where the window was but on the outside. Lloyd, Colette, and Genis all knew why they were being so quiet instantly. Kratos had just come out of the house and saw why the kids were all so elated.

There was a girl--no, a woman--praying at Anna's grave. She had long, dark hair that would touch the back of her knees if she stood. She wore a red dress that went just below her knees. The sleeves of the dress were long and fanned out slightly at the end. She wore black fingerless gloves that seemed to be made of lace.

Suddenly she stood and turned around. As soon as she saw everybody there, Lloyd, Colette, and Genis all yelled "Enia" and ran at her. She smiled slightly and had a group hug with the three of them. She looked over the hug to see Raine, Dirk, and... instantly her eyes glazed over. Lloyd saw this and broke the hug. She walked forward slowly then collapsed onto her knees. Everybody ran to her.

"Raine, is there something wrong with her," Genis asked anxiously. He had seen this happen so many times before but it had been so long since then that he'd forgotten. Also, it had never been to the point of her collapsing.

Her eyes unglazed and she looked at Kratos. "I... know you..." she said, slightly short of breath. Everybody gasped.

"I'm sorry," Kratos looked at her questioningly. "I don't believe we've met before."

"No, she definitely just had a flashback," Raine said. "Are you sure you don't recognize her, Kratos?"

"Hmm... no, I don't believe I know her from anywhere." He looked into her eyes, which were a most peculiar colour; dark hazel on the outside and light gold on the inside. The colours didn't blend but changed quite abruptly. In all honesty, they were kind of creepy.

"Enia, are you alright," Lloyd asked, worriedly. "Can you stand up?"

"Yeah, I think I'm fine now, thank you."

Kratos turned to Raine. "Can you please explain to me what is going on?"

"Yes. Enia came to us a few years ago. She had completely lost her memory and, sadly, still hasn't regained it. The only thing we can say is that she's at least twenty-two now, because we found her with a birthday card."

"So nothing is known about her?"

"No, not at all. We don't even know if the card was hers. It wasn't signed or addressed so we can't even be sure that it's even hers."

"I'm sorry--Enia was it?--that I can't be of help."

Enia just stared at him. She swore she had seen him somewhere before... damn her lack of memory!

"It's alright, Enia," Colette reassured. "I'm sure it was just somebody who looked like Kratos. Anyways, at least some memories are coming back to you! How was battle training?"

"Oh yeah," Lloyd remembered. "You left to learn how to fight. How was that?" Lloyd then took notice of a sheath on her left hand side. "Hey, you took to swordsmanship!"

"(*Sigh*) Yes, I did take a sword. I studied and read for months on end, then when they hand me a sword, I remember that I had taken intensive training when I was younger. All of that studying and stuff was for nothing."

"Hey, at least you're amongst the great rankings of the swordsmen..." The way they were positioned, Lloyd was kneeling beside Enia and Kratos was standing next to him. As he said this he shifted his gaze and finally took note of Kratos standing right there, especially since his sheath was really close to his face. "Never mind that then..."

Enia looked at Kratos and saw him look at Lloyd like he could pull out his sword at any time and decapitate him... but he wouldn't. How she could find that in a look, she didn't know.

"Lloyd," Enia started to say what she had just thought of. "You'd better not finish that sentence. There are enough swords in this area that you could lose your head within seconds."

"Hmm..." Kratos raised an eyebrow at her. "I don't believe I would go _that _far..."

Lloyd looked surprised. He was afraid of this conversation topic; his demise.

"Can we stop talking about ways to kill me," he said, panicking.

Enia finally stood and brought out her sword. "You wanna go, _shorty_?"

"I'm not short! I'm five-eight! It's not my fault you're abnormally tall!"

"I'm five-ten and not abnormally tall..."

"Can we stop discussing height," Raine yelled, obviously annoyed that they were discussing shortness around somebody as short as her.

"Whatever, you're all really short," Enia said jokingly, rubbing Genis' hair. Kratos cleared his throat at her.

"Oh man," she said, sarcastically disappointed. "There's actually somebody here who makes me look short. Damn (*eye roll*)"

_I can't tell whether she's annoying or in a bad mood_ Kratos thought.

"What's got you," Genis said, slightly angered. "You seem angry!"

"I had to break a promise today. I promised Colette that I would be there when she receives the oracle and that I would be there, ready to fight, during the Journey of Regeneration."

"You didn't break your promise," Colette said happily. "You're here now!"

"The mayor already told me that I missed the meeting where they stated who would be her guardians. I'll assume this means that I cannot join you."

"..."

"Enia, you're a mature adult and apparently a good fighter," Raine interjected. "I'm sure everybody will understand if you come with us."

"Thanks, Raine."

"Now, I really don't think that a broken promise is what's gettin' ya so mad," Dirk said, trying to get her to say what was really wrong.

"... Desians. I would have been here on time today if I had not been stopped by Desians. They took me to a ranch near Hima and made me talk to some Commander Vuckla. I was whipped for giving them the answers that they didn't want, that is until one of their higher-ups came in and stopped them. The higher class Desians brought me to some room and they did something to my Exsphere and I don't know what. They actually asked me where I wanted to be ditched and so I came here."

"They didn't do anything fishy to ya, did they," Dirk asked, obviously thinking of something dirty like rape.

"I don't think so. I'm pretty sure I was conscious the entire time, and that's partially what I'm mad at. Couldn't they have at least knocked me out?"

"Wait," Genis interrupted. "Don't they usually whip your back?"

Enia unzipped the back of her dress and showed them all of the marks. There was a scar there that she always had but now there were many other scrapes and gashes to accompany it. All of them seemed partially healed, though.

"When the leader took me, she healed me and did something to my Exsphere. The Exsphere thing was painful but only for a few minutes. What really gets me mad though is to know that they attacked the village. Honestly, I thought that Colette may have..." Enia gave Colette a big hug. Colette hugged back. "I'm sorry if my bad mood has put any of you off, please don't be angry with me."

Everybody reassured her that they were not angry; accept for Kratos, who was still wondering who this was and why she would know him. He didn't think he had any repressed memories anymore; could he have been wrong?

"We should be heading back to the village," Raine said, noting that they had been talking for a long time. "Concetta, will you be staying here or in the village?"

"There are many people in the village that I haven't said hello to yet so I think I will be staying there for the night. I'll probably just camp outside. I'm gonna have to get used to it if we're going on a journey, right?"

"Hehe, yeah," Colette said cheerily. "Hey, Kratos, where are you staying tonight?"

"I, too, will probably be setting up camp outside the village."

"Maybe you can camp together," Colette cheered. "I don't want anybody feeling lonely. You can keep each other company in the cold! Also, isn't one camping site easier to build than two?"

"Colette, honey, it's always easier to build one of something rather than two," Enia explained.

"Then it's settled," Kratos declared. "We shall be leaving now." With that he just walked off.

"He's an enthusiastic one, isn't he," Enia said, laying on the sarcasm.

"Oh, yeah," Genis answered. "He's a really chickadee."

##################################################################

After arriving at the village Enia said hello to some people then went outside again to meet up with Kratos, who had already built a fire pit. They both sat in silence, as far apart from each other as possible.

_Great idea, Colette,_ Enia thought to herself. _Make me set up camp with a complete stranger. I _love _this idea, sweetheart._ She looked across the camp site at him. He was leaning against a tree, sitting impossibly still. He just sat there, staring at the stars.

Her eyes glazed over as she remembered something... about... constellations? Aurion's Belt... wow. If she brought up Aurion's Belt he would probably just laugh. She didn't think the same constellations existed here as... huh? Her flashback ended suddenly. Where would there have been different constellations. She shook her head quickly, which drew his attention.

"Did you remember something," he asked quietly, not sure if she could even hear him. It's not like it mattered.

"Yeah, but it's... confusing. Something about constellations and... Orion's Belt."

Like she thought he laughed a little bit at that. "I'll assume that's not talking about me, right?"

"Hehe, yeah."

All of a sudden he gave her a questioning look. "I didn't think you would comprehend what I was talking about."

"I do. Your last name... is Aurion. It's... similar."

"Yes, but how do you know that? I'm afraid that we were never properly introduced."

She thought for a moment. Her eyes glazed over again, and when they unglazed he was sitting right next to her. "That was confusing. I just saw something. The same kind of thing that I got my name from... but it said yours and it was slightly different."

"Your name?"

"The only thing I could remember was a luminous rectangular thing that said 'you are Enia.' It was that same rectangular thing but instead there was something that said Kratos Aurion and it had a picture beside it. The picture was of you but more... cartoon... ish."

"Is that possibly where you have a memory of me from? Some cartoon?"

"No, I remember you the way you are now... This is the first time that I've remembered anything real as a cartoon."

He looked down. It would only take her a moment to notice that he hadn't changed at all from whenever the last time she saw him was. Who was this girl?

"You're the only person I've ever remembered."

"Pardon me?"

"Colette said she knew me from somewhere but she can't put her finger on it. I don't remember meeting her before and I usually get flashbacks when I recognize something. You're the very first person who I've remembered, though. I remember places, or items, or... anything but faces. That's why I'm so sure I know you, you're the first. Something so rare has got to be something more than a hallucination."

".........Humph..."

"How can you be so dismissive? You're the only person I can think about right now because I want to know who you are! Why are you the only person I can remember? How can my memory not be real?"

"I never said your memory wasn't real, I simply stated that I do not remember meeting you before. It is possible that I have though without being able to recall right now. Also, I'm not being dismissive, I'm simply thinking about how much you've lost."

"How much I've lost?"

"People who lose love say that they've lost life. You've lost your life and had to start over again. I'm wondering if it's really that easy, just starting over again..."

"It wasn't as easy as it sounds. I became cold hearted when I couldn't remember having friends, or family, or anything. I couldn't stand to see other people happy with their lives while I sat there not having one. I worked for Dirk, Frank, and Raine; taking care of the kids when they coudn't, like a babysitter. I'm only twenty-two and I've already had to lose my youth to raise younger kids, be like their mothers. Actually, I don't even know that I'm twenty-two. I could be thirty and not know it!"

"You've had a major identity problem, I see. Living without knowing how you've been living up until now. You didn't know what was normal and what wasn't, what you liked and what you didn't; all of those things were lost. And I assure you, you're no older than twenty-five." He started to smile slightly as he said this.

"And how do you know that?"

"You're younger-looking than I, and I'm twenty-eight. I'd say you're at least three years younger."

"And how do you know that? Maybe I don't look my age?"

"It's impossible for you to be older than me."

"Okay then, we'll say I'm younger than you are. Making a new life for yourself still isn't easy. You need to find a family, somebody who will take you forever. If you lost that person in your old life, then you need somebody, like a close friend, who will accept you. You need to create this new life for yourself."

"Your new life seems to have turned out nicely."

"Not really. Grown up past my age, haven't found love, changing between three families all the time, it's hard. This isn't a new life; this is a temporary fix until I _do _find a new life."

"Hmm... so you're still in need of a new life as well..."

"As well? Do you mean that you..."

"The life I have now must change. I've encountered two major tragedies at the same location. Both of them were my fault to begin with."

"We both need help to do the same things..."

"Humph..."

"You seem like an independent person but in this case that's not a very good thing. You need others to help you find a new life. You look like the kind of person who people try to help, though you refuse."

Kratos just looked towards the stars again.

"We both need the same things, Kratos. Please, think about that for a while."

"I've thought about it."

"I'm not a fan of working with a stranger..."

"You _saved_ a stranger once..."

He looked at her in awe when she said this. He hadn't been paying attention but her eyes had been glazed ever since she said "the kind of person who people try to help, though you refuse." Her eyes were still glazed while she talked now.

"A Human Ranch... a woman... a project..." Enia's body fell over limply after she said that. She had fainted. She lay there, motionlessly, until Kratos noticed a sort of... glowing. She awoke two hours later.

"You're awake," Kratos said, partially asking. "Has that happened before?"

"Has what happened?"

"Your fainting in the middle of a flashback."

"I'm sorry, I don't recall..."

"What's the last thing that you remember, then?"

"Umm... I was talking about you being independent and how that wasn't good if you're going to start over. Then it all goes blank..."

"It's as if you were possessed..."

"That woman..."

"Hmm?"

"While I was out there was a voice. It said that I was doing a good job but it was taking over for a few minutes. That was when everything first went blank. That's probably what you heard."

"An alternate personality..."

"I don't think so. She didn't say she had anything to do with me. She said that she knew you... hey, maybe that memory wasn't mine, but hers!"

"Did she say who she was or her relationship to me?"

"She said she was long gone... oh! She also said that if I mentioned the cliff by the Iselia Human Ranch that you would understand..."

He looked at her dumbfoundedly. Then he stood and walked to the other side of the camp site. He remained standing and leaning with his arm against a tree, looking towards the moon.

"Did I say something wrong," Enia asked.

"No, I'm just a little conflicted right now."

"That's the place, isn't it? You said two tragedies in one place, it's the cliff, isn't it? Who was that woman that took over my body?"

"There are... two possibilities; one who I loved and one who I was going to love... supposedly. I'm sorry I cannot tell you."

"No, I'm sorry. This must be bringing back painful memories for you." Enia walked over to him and stood on the side that wasn't leaning against a tree. "It's kind of hard starting a new life when the people around you are constantly bringing back your past."

"Hm... yes, it would seem that my past is showing itself quite a bit."

"I want to be of help."

He looked at her. She was only about three inches shorter than he was so he didn't have to look down much. He slowly put her hand in his. "I want to be of help as well." He turned back towards the moon.

She looked at the side of his face. The moon against his face... her eyes glazed over. He looked back towards her when he noticed she was motionless. "Thank you," he thought he could hear multiple voices coming out of one person. "She needs your help as much as possible." When the voices said "she" he thought he could faintly hear one of them say "I." Her eyes unglazed again and she knew instantly that the other women had come again.

"I'm sorry; the others must be really killing you right now. I can only imagine how painful it would be." Kratos' eyes looked sad when she said this.

"I must thank you," he said after a minute. "I believe that they want me to start over as well. You're the one they sent for me." Enia was looking out toward the moon when he said this so he had to lean off the tree and bring up that hand to put on her opposite cheek and bring her attention to him. "Thank you," he said again, this time his lips were barely an inch from hers when he said it. He didn't really say it, though, he more breathed it. Her lips trembled while she brought up the hand that wasn't still in his and put it just behind his ear and in his hair.

He broke his hold on her hand so he could hold her close with both hands. She brought her now free hand up parallel to where her other hand was. It had really been a long time for him and he wasn't used to this. She had never felt this way or if she had, she didn't remember, so both of them seemed amateur.

"No, thank you," she breathed. As she said this he closed the small gap between their lips. It seemed like an eternity, though it only lasted maybe a minute. When they broke the kiss, Kratos sat down with his back against the tree again. He grabbed her hand and led her down so she was sitting on his lap. They stared into the moonlight with Enia's head leaning on his shoulder. Neither of them _needed_ sleep per se, though the other didn't know that, so they fell asleep that way.

* * *

**Nevermind having the characters conversing, I'm going to have a separate things called "Tales of Conversations 'My Way'" It's gonna be pretty great! Look for it... I don't know when. Whenever I post it?**


End file.
